Editorial: No visa for Martha

The Daily Telegraph in London reports that Martha Stewart has been denied a visa to visit Britain because of her criminal conviction.

America's favorite domestic diva should probably be flattered that she could be considered a serious enough threat to public order to keep her out of the country.

But Ms. Stewart was gracious about it, saying that she loves England and hopes this can be resolved so she could proceed with her visit, which would include such nefarious activities as addressing the Royal Academy and meeting with representatives of Britain's fashion and leisure industry.

A government official told the Telegraph that, given the amount of business Ms. Stewart generates, barring her from the country was "an own goal," a boneheaded play in soccer where a team scores against itself.

Odd he should say that because that same week a British court granted bail to Islamic cleric Abu Qatada, after failing to deport him to Jordan where he is a convicted terrorist. He has been described as Osama bin Laden's righthand man in Europe, a fundraiser for al-Qaida, an associate of convicted 9/11 terrorist Zacarias Moussaoui.

The cleric successfully used Britain's Human Rights Act to prevent him being deported to Jordan on grounds he might be tortured.

So the British government won't let Martha Stewart, exemplar of fine and gracious living, into the country and it won't make Abu Qatada, terrorist eminence grise, leave. It helps to have a sense of humor in these kinds of situations.